The cell transplants did free patients from insulin shots, but only temporarily.
Researchers have been trying cell transplants for diabetes for more than 20 years, but most failed, or worked only briefly.
By virtually all scientific accounts, the potential benefits from fetal cell transplants are enormous.
The journal "Nature" recently published a paper describing how a cell transplant had allowed blind mice to see again.
Even then, many believe, cell transplants will not be as profitable a business as mass producing drugs.
Over 8,000 cord blood stem cell transplants have been performed to date.
Very few if any placental cell transplants have taken place, but this may become more common place in the future.
Bone marrow/stem cell transplant is the only remedy for this genetic disease.
The controversial foetal cell transplants are carried out in other parts of the world too.
For now, the cell transplants are not recommended for most patients.